borntoquilt

Just bought a new laser printer. have been messing with making computer generated quilt labels. anybody out there have experience with making labels this way. I am using butcher paper ironed to my label fabric. so far, printer seems to be OK with fabric going thru. I was wonder how these labels are going to launder. I'd hate to have the "laser" print disappear first wash.... I am going to try a SAMPLE hand wash but wondered if anybody had experience to share.... thanks in advance!!

gale

I know you have to heat set them somehow. I'll find the video where I saw something about this.

gale

The info about washing is toward the end. It should start at that point if you click here. The beginning of the video is about how to prepare fabric using hair spray.

https://youtu.be/4kVoj0ZySxU?t=5m28s

imsewnso

Prepare your fabric with Bubble Jet and it will not wash out. Heat set it with an iron after printing. Let it sit overnight then rinse with dish soap. I found Bubble Jet to be a very good product. It also has a rinse agent, but I never used it only the dish soap to rinse. Goggle Bubble Jet 2000 and you will find lots of info.

cindi

Check to make sure your laser printer can print on fabric at all. Lasers are set with heat, and can cause a fire if you run fabric through them! It's the sole reason I still have an injket at home - they're the best for fabric. Bubble Jet Set is to be used for inkjet printing, so far as I am aware....

dunster

From what I've been told, you shouldn't wash the fabric after printing with the laser printer right away, but you don't need to do anything else to set the ink. It will eventually fade, so don't wash too often or too vigorously. And don't try to print on synthetic fibers, which might not be able to take the heat.

ghostrider

Any fabric that's safe to iron on a cotton setting is safe enough to run through a laser printer. Art quilters do it all the time, as do T-shirt manufacturers. It's the adhesive and the chemicals on pretreated ink jet labels that are the melt/fire risk due to the printer heat. Do not use Bubble Jet Set or Commercial Ink Jet labels in a laser printer.

Freezer paper is also safe to run through a laser printer as the stabilizer for your fabric. Dunster is correct, delay the first wash for at least a week after printing to let it cure. More about how to laser print on fabric: http://www.brighthub.com/computing/h...les/58811.aspx

There are also several very good prior threads about laser printing labels and photos on fabric. Just put "laser printer" in the search box and you should be able to find them.

Girlfriend

Fabric can catch on fire going through a laser printer, I've read. I have a Xerox Phaser laser printer, and it has a big warning not to put fabric through!

I did notice, however, printing numbers on Avery Labels will effectively number rows, etc., and when ironed, the print does not run, smudge, or transfer. Nice change from using pins with post-it notes or pieces of paper, to number the rows. Very handy!

laurafet

I have always used the Transfer fabric that is used for photos, etc. (June Taylor is one brand). It runs through my HP just fine. You follow the instructions, which requires rinsing in a cold water "bath". Then I use the blow dryer on them. Seems to work for labels and photos. My dilemma? Most quilts only get one label, not a whole 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. Can't figure out a way to print one corner, then be able to run the fabric paper through later with the corner missing.

Jeanne S

My laser printer fabric also calls for soaking in cold water an hour or so after printing. I then lay it flat to dry then iron it with a hot iron.